"People have been calling to ask if we have any strawberries because they think the rains ruined all of them. But we do have strawberries and the only way we're going to lose them is if people don't come out to pick them," says Keith Hausman of Hausman's Fruit Farm in Limeport.

In fact, these next few days look like the last chance to scarf up some native berries.

"We're nearing the end of picking," says Ruth Schmidt of Schmidt's Berry Farm in Heidelberg Township, Lehigh County, "but there'll still be some left over the weekend.

"The strawberry season actually has run later than usual because of the cold weather," she notes. "They're usually finished by now."

Hausman estimates that he'll have berries available into the early days of next week.

The recorded message at Bobwhite Acres near Quakertown is updated daily with new picking information. As of Friday, strawberries still were available for picking.

Diane Schmidt at Clearview Farm in Washington Township, Lehigh County, says she is not sure if she'll have enough strawberries to open over the weekend. She says she updates her phone message about availability each night after she checks the condition of the fields.

Growers suggest that would-be pickers call in the morning to see if strawberries can be picked that day.

The season has been a disappointing one from start to finish, says Diane Schmidt. "It has been the worst one we've had in 20 years. It was too rainy and too cold this year. And last August, when the plants should have been getting recharged for the next season, it was too dry."

Hausman adds, "The other problem with strawberries is that they're a "fair weather fruit.' What I mean is that people want to pick them when the weather's good. If it's too hot or too cold or if it is raining, they're not going to go berry picking."

That's why the berries that ripened on his farm during the prolonged rains were pretty much of a washout, according to Hausman. More recently, the scorching sun has been a problem, forcing the berries to ripen faster and discouraging prospective pickers from leaving their air-conditioned homes.

Because the fruit picked now will be very ripe, Hausman advises that berries be used quickly. The Hausmans also are baking from scratch strawberry and strawberry rhubarb pies for sale at the fruit farm's bakery.

Ruth Schmidt adds a little sunshine to her report: "Blueberries and red raspberries should be ready by the middle of July."